Rotary engine.



No. 709,623. Patented Sept. 23, |902.

' S. J. WEBB.l

noTA'nY ENGINE.

(Application led Febf2, 1900.)

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ROTARY ma. ('Applicabion med e 2, 1960.)

` Patented Sept. 23, |902.

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UNTTED STATES SAMUEL J. WEBB, OF MINDEN, LUISANA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent N o. 709,623, dated September 23, 1902.

Application led February 2, 1900. Serial No. 3,730. (No model.)

To all whom t 'ri/tay concern:

Beit known that I, SAMUEL J. WEBB, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Minden, in the parish of Webster and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in rotary engines, having for its object to provide an engine of the class described which is simple in construction, durable, and by means of which the maximum efficiency may be attained without the useless expenditure of power.

With this object in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts hereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference designate correspond ing parts, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of one construction embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line or x of Fig. 1, and Fig. fl is a similar view on the line y y of Fig. l.

The casing A of the engine is bored out to form two parallel intersecting cylindrical chambers, through the centers of which extend two parallel shafts 3 fl, and these chambers may be continuous between the heads 5 6 of the casing or may be separated by intermediate partitions B B. When the partitions B areused, they conform at the edges to the outline of the chambers and are packed by peripheral packings 7, so that the partitions may be moved along the chambers and upon the shafts, which pass through them, for a purpose described hereinafter.

The shafts 3 a have their bearings in the heads 5 6 and also in the partitions B, when the latter are used, the shaft L being shown as extending through the head to receive a wheel 8, which may be a band-wheel or gearwheel. Each shaft carries a piston-wheel D,

the radial blades 9 of which are properly formed to mesh with those of the opposite wheel, like the teeth of gear-wheels, but so that there shall be no play after they have once come in contact, the edges of the said blades revolving as close as possible to the inner sides of the chambers to prevent leakage, and at suitable intervals the blades are provided with edge packings l0.

When movable partitions B are employed, each shaft carries a plurality of piston-wheels D, which turn with but slide on the shaft,

and the partitions B are intermediate` the wheels, as shown in Fig. 3, and aslidinghead B', similar in shape to the partitions B, bears against the sides of the opposite wheels and is forcibly pressed against the latter by a spring l1 within a chamber of the head 6 and compressed to any desired tension by a setscrew l2.

At opposite sides of the casing are chambers a: 5c' at points beyond the peripheries of the piston-wheels, and when steam is admitted to either chamber it will act upon the blades of the said wheels to turn them in opposite directions and will pass with the said blades toward and through the opposite chamber, from which it will escape through asuitable port. By ad m itting steam to either chamber at will the direction of rotation of the piston-Wheels may be reversed.

Dierent arrangements of ports and different forms of valves may be employed, according as the engine is to be single-acting or reversible. As shown, the engine is reversible, with a transverse valve-chamber in the cylinder-head 5, this chamber communicating with an inlet-pipe 13 and having two ports 14 15 communicating, respectively, with the chambers o; :r/,and in the valve-chamberslides a valve E, which maybe said to openthe ports 14 or l5, according to. the directionin which the piston-wheels are to rotate.

lf the engine is not to be used as an expansion-engine, the steam escapes directly after passing from one chamberfc to the other; but where it is desired to use .the steam expansively the exhaust from one of the said chambers is carried to the chamber' opposite the next pair of piston-wheels and operates upon the latter and passes thence to the next pair, and so on, acting upon as many of the plurality of pairs of wheels as may bein theehgine. To thus use the steam expansively with the rotary piston-wheels, the partitions B B are provided with transverse valve-chainbers y, each having four ports 16 1718 19, and a valve F, which maybe shifted so as to ICO open the ports 1G and 17, closing the ports 18 and 19, or to open the ports 18 and 19, closing the ports 16 and 17. By this arrangement not only is the steam escaping from the chamber 00 or directly to the chamber of the next pair of wheels at the opposite side of the casing, but the exhaust may be carried to one side of the casing or the other, accordingly as the steam is directed by the adjustment of the valve E to reverse the engine. As the piston-wheels rotate in contact with the sides of the chambers any wear which would tend to result in leakage is taken up by the pressure of the spring 11, so that the engine is maintained in its effective working condition, and

it will be seen that when there is but a single pair of wheels the movable head B will be used without the partitions.

The exhaust-channel w is in the head 6 and communicates with a space or chamber between the head 6 and the movable head B,in which are ports 2O 21, controlled by a valve G.

Each'of the valves E F G is provided with a stem 22, passing through a packed opening in the casing and connected bya connectingrod to an arm 23 on a rock-shaft 25, turning in suitable bearings supported by the casing and provided with ahandle2. By this means the valves may be shifted simultaneouslyin reversing or arresting the movements of the engine.

When movable partitions B are used, it is of course necessary to provide a flexible connection between the valve-stems 22 and the valves F, which is done by slotting the partitions B at fu and connecting the inner end of valve-stem 22 with the valve bya joint-rod 28.

Where the engineissingle-acting, the valves and ports will of course be differently arranged, and while I have provided for movable partitions in order to take up wear it will be evident that, if desired, the partitions may be secured permanently in position and other means employed for maintaining the surfaces in condition to prevent leakage.

Where no means are employed for reversing the direction of movement of the shafts,

t such reversal may be eected in the parts operated by means of the usual reversing-gearing.

Without limiting myself to the precise con- I2. The combination of the casing, partiv tions, piston wheels provided with blades, chambers and ports and channels in the partitions affording communication between the chamber at one side of each partition and the chamber ai at the other side, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the casing, parallel shafts, piston-wheels and intermediate partitions wth chambers, and ports in the said partitions and valves controlling said ports, whereby the direction of steam passing through the partitions may be reversed, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the casing, parallel shafts carrying pairs of piston-wheels, rotating with but sliding` on the shaft, and movable partitions provided with channels, ports and valves, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the casing, shafts, piston-wheels, partitions provided with chambers, ports and valves, and a rock-shaft outside the casing, and connections between the latterand the said valves, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the casing, shafts, piston wheels, sliding partitions provided with channels, ports and valves, a rock-shaft outside of the casing, valve-stems connected therewith, and flexible connections between the valve stems and the valves of the movable partitions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL J. WEBB.

Witnesses:

F. L. FREEMAN, W. C. DUvALL. 

